Apparatus for maintaining a zipper in a closed position

ABSTRACT

A zipper apparatus for maintaining a zipper in a closed position when used with a nearby button is provided. The zipper apparatus includes a hook portion, a loop portion, and a grip portion to position the loop portion over a back portion of the button. The opening of the loop portion may be adjusted by pulling on the grip portion.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a zipper apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for maintaining a zipper in a closed position when used with a nearby button.

BACKGROUND

It is not uncommon for a slider of a zipper on, for example, pants to function improperly by failing to remain in an up position to maintain the closure of the zipper when the pants are being worn.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,928,363, 5,008,985, and 5,586,368 disclose zipper attachments that include a first part that attaches to the pull tab on a slider of a zipper and a second part that fits over a front button of pants to prevent the slider from sliding down. The opening of the second part must be large enough to receive the button through the opening. Furthermore, the prior art zipper attachments are rigid and inflexible and therefore cannot be adjusted to accommodate different button sizes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates a first view of a zipper apparatus of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second view of the zipper apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a third view of the zipper apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate exemplary embodiments for attaching the zipper apparatus of FIGS. 1-3 to a zipper on pants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the zipper apparatus of the present invention attach behind the front button instead of receiving the button through an opening. Accordingly, embodiments of the zipper apparatus of the present invention may be smaller and therefore may be cheaper to manufacturer than the prior art zipper attachments. Embodiments of the zipper apparatus of the present invention also include an extended grip portion that may make attachment of the zipper apparatus to the zipper and button easier. Embodiments of the zipper apparatus of the present invention may be adjusted if necessary.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first view of a zipper apparatus 100 of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Zipper apparatus 100 comprises a hook portion 110, a loop portion 120, and a grip portion 130.

The hook portion 110 may include an elongated vertical portion 110 a, a curved portion 110 b, and a pull tab attachment portion 110 c. As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the elongated vertical portion 110 a may extend in the downward direction of the zipper when the zipper apparatus 100 is attached to the pull tab 410 on the slider 420 of the zipper. The curved portion 110 b curves toward the zipper to permit the pull tab attachment portion 110 c to be inserted into the opening 430 of the pull tab 410.

In an alternate embodiment, the curved portion 110 b may be replaced with a connecting portion that may be any shape that connects the elongated vertical portion 110 a to the pull tab attachment portion 110 c and extends toward the zipper to permit the pull tab attachment portion 110 c to be inserted into the opening 430 of the pull tab 410.

The loop portion 120 may include a first elongated vertical portion 120 a, a curved portion 120 b, and a second elongated vertical portion 120 c. As shown in FIG. 1, the first elongated vertical portion 120 a may extend in a downward direction and the surface of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 may be in a sideward direction from the surface of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110. In this way, the hook portion 110 may attach to the pull tab 410 while the curved portion 120 b of the loop portion 120 may curve over the top of a back portion 440 behind the button 450, as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

The back portion 440 may be any type of attachment mechanism that attaches a button to pants or other clothing. The back portion 440 may be attached to button 450 (for example, in the case of thread that attaches a button to pants) or may be an integral part of button 450 (for example, in the case of a protrusion from the back of a button).

In one embodiment, the surface of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 may be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the surface of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110.

In one embodiment, the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 and the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 may be connected via curved portions 160, 170 and a flat portion 180.

In one embodiment, curved portion 160 may change the direction of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 from a downward direction and may change the orientation of the surface of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a. In one embodiment, curved portion 160 may change the direction of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 from a downward direction to a sideward direction. In one embodiment, curved portion 160 may change the direction of the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 from a downward direction to a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular direction to the downward direction in which the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 extends.

In one embodiment, curved portion 170 may change the direction of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 from a downward direction and may change the orientation of the surface of the elongated vertical portion 110 a. In one embodiment, curved portion 170 may change the direction of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 from a downward direction to a sideward direction. In one embodiment, curved portion 170 may change the direction of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 from a downward direction to a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular direction to the downward direction in which the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 extends.

In one embodiment, curved portion 170 may change the direction of the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110 from a downward direction to a sideward direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the sideward direction that the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 extends due to curved portion 160. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the curved portions 160, 170 intersect to form a flat portion 180.

In an alternate embodiment, curved portions 160, 170 and flat portion 180 may be replaced with a connecting portion that may be any shape that connects the first elongated vertical portion 120 a of the loop portion 120 and the elongated vertical portion 110 a of the hook portion 110.

In one embodiment, the curved portion 120 b of the loop portion 120 may curve over the top of the back portion 440 of the button 450 and connect the first elongated vertical portion 120 a to the second elongated vertical portion 120 c. The second elongated vertical portion 120 c also may extend in a downward direction. In this way, the first elongated vertical portion 120 a, the curved portion 120 b, and the second elongated vertical portion 120 c may partially encircle the back portion 440 of the button 450 so that the loop portion 120 may remain intact with the back portion 440 of the button 450.

In an alternate embodiment, the curved portion 120 b may be replaced with a connecting portion that may be any shape that extends over the top of the back portion 440 of the button 450 and connects the first elongated vertical portion 120 a to the second elongated vertical portion 120 c.

In one embodiment, the second elongated vertical portion 120 c may connect to the grip portion 130 via a curved portion 140 to extend the grip portion 130 in a sideward direction. In one embodiment, the grip portion 130 may extend in a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular direction to the downward direction in which the second elongated vertical portion 120 c extends. The grip portion 130 may be used to position the curved portion 120 b of the loop portion 120 over the top of the back portion 440 of the button 450. In one embodiment, the grip portion 130 may be pulled to adjust the size of the opening 150 formed by the first elongated vertical portion 120 a, the curved portion 120 b, and the second elongated vertical portion 120 c. In one embodiment, once the zipper apparatus 100 is secured to the button, the grip portion 130 may be used to lift curved portion 120 b away from the back portion 440 behind the button 450 with ease to remove the zipper apparatus 100 from the button 450.

In an alternate embodiment, the curved portion 140 may be replaced with a connecting portion that may be any shape that connects the second elongated vertical portion 120 c to the grip portion 130 such that the second elongated vertical portion 120 c extends in a downward direction and the grip portion 130 extends in a sideward direction.

Embodiments of the zipper apparatus of the present invention may be made from any material such as metal or plastics or any other suitable material. Embodiments of the zipper apparatus may be one integral and continuous piece or may comprise separate pieces that are connected together.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the forgoing descriptions and the associated drawings. For example, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to zippers used for pants. As another example, a curved portion of the zipper apparatus may be replaced with another connecting portion of any shape such as square. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in an embodiment” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail.

The foregoing detailed description is exemplary and explanatory only and is not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 

What is claimed:
 1. An apparatus for maintaining a zipper in a closed position when used with a nearby button comprising: a hook portion configured to attach to the opening of a pull tab of a zipper; a loop portion configured to partially encircle a back portion of a button; and a grip portion attached to the loop portion.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hook portion includes: an elongated vertical portion wherein the elongated vertical portion extends in a downward direction; a pull tab attachment portion wherein the pull tab attachment portion extends in an upward direction and is positioned behind the elongated vertical portion and is configured to attach to the opening of the pull tab of the zipper; and a connecting portion wherein the connecting portion connects the elongated vertical portion and the pull tab attachment portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the loop portion includes: a first elongated vertical portion wherein the first elongated vertical portion extends in a downward direction and the surface of the first elongated vertical portion of the loop portion is in a sideward direction from the surface of the elongated vertical portion of the hook portion; a second elongated vertical portion wherein the second elongated vertical portion extends in a downward direction parallel or substantially parallel to the first elongated vertical portion; and a connecting portion; wherein the connecting portion of the loop portion connects the first elongated vertical portion and the second elongated vertical portion, wherein the first elongated vertical portion, the connecting portion of the loop portion, and the second elongated vertical portion form an opening that is configured to partially encircle a back portion of a button.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the surface of the first elongated vertical portion of the loop portion is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the surface of the elongated vertical portion of the hook portion.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the grip portion connects to the second elongated vertical portion of the hook portion and extends in a sideward direction.
 6. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the grip portion extends in a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular direction to the downward direction in which the second elongated vertical portion 3 extends.
 7. A method of maintaining a zipper in a closed position when used with a nearby button comprising: attaching a hook portion to the opening of a pull tab of a zipper; and using a grip portion to position a loop portion over a back portion of a button;
 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: adjusting an opening of the loop portion by pulling on the grip portion. 